Walk and See ABC by Rosalind Beardshaw | Living & Non-living
This lesson introduces students to the fundamental differences between living and non-living things using the book "Walk and See ABC" as a primary observation tool. Students will explore the core biological needs of food, water, and air to categorize objects and identify patterns in the natural world.
Essential Question
How can we tell the difference between something that is alive and something that is not?
Grade(s):
- Kindergarten
Recommended Technology:
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
- Book: "Walk and See ABC" by Rosalind Beardshaw.
- Living/Non-Living Worksheet.
- Chart paper and markers.
Lesson Progression
Step 1: Literacy Connection (15 Minutes)
Read Aloud: Read "Walk and See ABC" by Rosalind Beardshaw.
Observation Walk: As you go through the alphabet, pause on specific pages. Ask students to spot things the children see on their walk.
Questioning: "On the 'B' page, we see a Bee. Does a bee need to eat? On the 'R' page, we see a Rainbow. Does a rainbow need to drink water?"
Step 2: Identifying the Pattern (10 Minutes)
Discussion: Based on the book, group the items into two lists on chart paper: things that grow/eat and things that do not. Tip: It may be most appropriate for the anchor chart to have pictures of each thing they are categorizing with labels.
Define Needs: Establish the three big needs: Food, Water, and Air.
Step 3: Worksheet Activity (10 Minutes)
Students use the Living or Non-Living Worksheet (linked in the resources tab). Note: The completion of this worksheet will look different depending on how far into the school year you currently are. For example, if completing this lesson at the beginning of the year, it would be most appropriate to do the worksheet whole-group and model the writing portion. If towards the end of the year, students may have gained the writing skills necessary to complete this worksheet independently.
Connection: Remind students that many of the words (Bee, Fox, Rainbow) appeared in the book they just read.
Teacher Notes
Extension: Challenge students to identify "tricky" items, such as a car (which uses "air" and "food/fuel" but doesn't grow) or a fire (which "eats" wood and breathes air but isn't alive), to deepen their understanding of biological criteria.
Differentiation: Allow students to circle or color-code items on the worksheet (e.g., green for living, red for non-living) instead of writing out labels. OR print out pictures and have the students categorize those if writing is a roadblock.
Assessments
Use the performance task linked in the resources tab to assess student learning outcomes.